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The Color Purple

Aug 16 - Oct 9, 2022
A young Black woman wearing a 1930s style house dress looks up to the left toward a ray of sunlight. Background is light purple wooden planks.

This triumphant musical adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of human fortitude, redemption and love is directed by Timothy Douglas (Spunk).

A teenage Celie is torn from her beloved sister and forced into an abusive marriage. Over the next forty years, while Celie encounters repression, despair and heartbreak, she also discovers hope in a group of friends who inspire her to find her voice, discover her beauty and change her life.

Nominated for 11 Tony Awards® and featuring a soaring score of jazz, gospel, blues and ragtime, The Color Purple brilliantly illuminates the lives of Southern Black women in breathtaking scope.

“An exuberant celebration of community and female empowerment.”
THE GUARDIAN

Based upon the novel written by Alice Walker and the Warner Bros./Amblin Entertainment Motion Picture
Book by Marsha Norman
Music & Lyrics by Brenda Russel, Alee Willis & Stephen Bray
Music Directed by Mark G. Meadows
Choreographed by Dane Figueroa Edidi
Directed by Timothy Douglas
#SigColorPurple
#SigColorPurple

Performance Information

Seating Chart

  • Run Time

    Running time is approximately 2 hours and 35 minutes, including one intermission.

  • Masks

    Masks are required at all performances.

  • Content Warnings

    This show is recommended for teens and adults and will use theatrical haze. Signature does not admit children under 6 years old.

Content Warnings

This show contains sexual and physical violence and will use theatrical haze.

Program

Flip through The Color Purple program

Specialty Nights

Discussion Nights

September 13 & 21, 2022

Pride Night

September 16, 2022

ASL Interpreted

September 18, 7PM

Sponsored by

Cast Members

Tẹmídayọ Amay

Squeak

they/them OFF-BROADWAY: MCC Theater: On Love; Classical Theatre of Harlem: Foriwa. NEW YORK: La MaMa ETC: Coffehouse Chronicles #124; Joe’s Pub: Queering the Canon: Sondheim. DC AREA: Round House Theatre: School Girls: or, the African Mean Girls Play (Helen Hayes Award, Outstanding Supporting Performer); Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company: Describe the Night; Shakespeare Theatre Company: Will on the Hill, The Ruby Sunrise; Longacre Lea: The Inerstellar Ghost Hour (Helen Hayes Award nomination, Outstanding Supporting Performer). DIRECTING: Arts on the Horizon: Once Upon a Zoom; the Athena Project. OTHER: Black Artist Coalition (Founder); PILOT (Executive Producer). @temidayoma.

Catrina Brenae

Swing

she/her/they REGIONAL: The Kennedy Center: Show Way (Auntie/Lil’ Bit u/s); Baltimore Center Stage: Soundcheck (Catrina Brenae in Concert), The Christians (Soloist/Ensemble); Virginia Repertory Theatre: Mamma Mia (Rosie), Have You Filled a Bucket Today? (Bucket Filling Fairy); ArtsCentric: Dreamgirls (Effie Melody White), Hair (Dionne cover/Ensemble), Little Shop of Horrors (Crystal u/s). FILM/TV: “The Black Joy Experience” Docu-Series, “Legal Enterprise” Web Series. EDUCATION: Clark Atlanta University: Bachelor of Art, Music: Vocal Performance. Instagram: @catrina_brenae.

Ian Anthony Coleman

Ian Anthony Coleman

Bobby/Guard

SIGNATURE: Grand Hotel, Blackbeard. NATIONAL TOUR: Amazing Grace the Broadway Musical, BIG NATE the Musical. DC AREA: Arena Stage: Oliver!; Round House Theatre: Father Comes Home From The Wars; Olney Theatre Center: On The Town, My Fair Lady, Singin’ In The Rain; Constellation Theatre Company: Peter & The Starcatcher (Helen Hayes Award, Outstanding Ensemble), The Wild Party, Aida; Imagination Stage: Wiley and The Hairy Man (Helen Hayes Award, Outstanding TYA Production), Beauty & The Beast, Looking For Roberto Clemente; Kennedy Center TYA: Me...Jane; Rep Stage: Dorian’s Closet; The Keegan Theatre: HAIR!, A Few Good Men (Irish National Tour); Creative Cauldron: Once On This Island; Monumental Theatre: Urinetown. EDUCATION: Carnegie Mellon University, B.S. International Relations & Politics; Overtures Musical Theater Institute at Signature Theatre.

Frenchie Davis

Sofia

BROADWAY: Rent (Joanne/Ensemble Soloist). NATIONAL TOUR: Dreamgirls (Effie White), Ain’t Misbehavin’. OFF-BROADWAY: Lynn Redgrave Theater: The View UpStairs. REGIONAL: Hartford Stage Company: Sing Mahalia Sing!; Pittsburgh CLO: Dreamgirls (Effie White). INTERNATIONAL: Haller Globe Theatre, Germany: Jesus Christ Superstar, Little Shop of Horrors. EDUCATION: Howard University.

Jay Frisby

Jay Frisby

Swing

SIGNATURE: The Scottsboro Boys (Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Ensemble). NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL TOURS: South Pacific; Hong Kong Disneyland: Festival of the Lion King (Simba); Click Clack Moo; The Whiffenpoofs of Yale. DC AREA: Olney Theatre Center: The Music Man, Matilda, The Royale, Miss You Like Hell, South Pacific, Annie, Mary Poppins; Ford’s Theatre: Grace; Imagination Stage: Cinderella, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; Labor Heritage Foundation: Working; Rep Stage: Dorian’s Closet; Studio Theatre: Marcus; or The Secret of Sweet; Toby’s Dinner Theatre: The Buddy Holly Story, Miss Saigon; REGIONAL: Connecticut Repertory Theatre: Smokey Joe’s Café; Ogunquit Playhouse: South Pacific; Paper Mill Playhouse: West Side Story, Seussical. EDUCATION: Yale University: BA in Theatre Studies. JayFrisby.com

Kaiyla Gross

Kaiyla Gross

Nettie

she/her SIGNATURE: The Color Purple (Nettie, Celie u/s), Hotter Than July: Stevie Wonder, RENT (Seasons of Love Soloist). DC AREA: Olney Theatre Center: Kinky Boots (Pat, Lauren u/s), Miss You Like Hell (Pearl); Folger Shakespeare Theatre: Our Verse in Time to Come (GrioSprite) Next Stop Theatre: Beehive; the 60’s Musical (Aretha). REGIONAL: Duluth Playhouse: Ragtime; Virginia Stage Company: A Christmas Carol (Belinda Cratchit), The Earth Remembers; World Stage Theatre: Amazing Grace (Princess Peyai); Norfolk State University Theatre Company: The Color Purple (Celie), Once on this Island (Ti Moune), Eclipsed (Maima).

Raquel Jennings

Olivia

she/her REGIONAL: Ford’s Theatre: Grace * world premiere * (Jacqui); Baltimore Center Stage: Dreamgirls (Lorrell). OTHER: Seacoast Rep: The Last 5 Years (Cathy), Ragtime (Sarah); Winnipesaukee Playhouse: It Had to Be You (Betty); ArtsCentric: Little Shop of Horrors (Chiffon), Aida (Amneris u/s), Sister Act, Memphis, The Color Purple (Nettie); Creative Cauldron: Blues in the Night (The Girl). EDUCATION: Morgan State University, B.A. & M.A. in Music. www.raqueljennings.com @raqui_j

Torrey Linder

Mister

he/him NATIONAL TOUR: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Ensemble), Elf (Store Manager) Dirty Dancing (Tito Suarez). NEW YORK: The Flea Theater: The Nomad (Holy Man), I love you, Mrs. Linder. REGIONAL: Playhouse on Park: Scottsboro Boys (Mr. Tambo); Sugarloaf PAC: RENT (Benny).

Sean-Maurice Lynch

Sean-Maurice Lynch

Adam

SIGNATURE: Dreamgirls, Brother Russia, Hairspray, [title of show], Sweeney Todd, Show Boat. DC AREA: Arena Stage: Toni Stone, Jubliee; Ford’s Theatre: Twelve Angry Men, Ragtime, Parade; Washington National Opera: Lost in the Stars; Everyman Theater: Ruined; Studio Theatre: Pop!, Passing Strange; Adventure Theatre: A Year with Frog & Toad.

Keenan McCarter

Pa

he/him SIGNATURE: Ragtime, The Color Purple. DC AREA: Ford’s Theatre: Shout Sister Shout! REGIONAL: Southern Illinois Summer Music Festival: Roméo et Juliette (The Duke), La bohème (Schaunard); Lyric Opera of Chicago OIN: La Cenerentola (Dandini), Die Zauberflöte (Papageno); American Chamber Opera: Madama Butterfly (Sharpless); U.S. Army: The Falling and the Rising (Homecoming Soldier). OTHER: The U.S. Army Field Band and Soldiers’ Chorus; The U.S. Army Chorus in Washington, DC. EDUCATION: Alabama State University: Bachelor of Arts, vocal performance; Southern Illinois University, Carbondale: Master of Music, vocal performance.

Solomon Parker III

Solomon Parker III

Harpo

SIGNATURE: The Color Purple (Helen Hayes for Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical - Hayes), RENT, After Midnight, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Grand Hotel, Billy Elliot, Jesus Christ Superstar. Regional: Portland Center Stage: Hair; Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival: In the Heights. DC AREA: Olney Theater: Kinky Boots; Ford’s Theatre: The Wiz, Grace the Musical, A Christmas Carol; Keegan Theatre: Legally Blonde; Toby's Dinner Theatre: Kinky Boots, Dreamgirls, Hairspray; Monumental Theatre Co: Pippin, Sunday Funday, Montgomery, Bashful; EDUCATION: Montgomery College. @thesolomonexperience

Nova Y. Payton

Nova Y. Payton

Celie

SIGNATURE: The Color Purple, We Shall Someday, After Midnight, Assassins, Blackbeard, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Jelly's Last Jam, La Cage aux Folles, Diner, Defying Gravity: Making of a SuperNOVA, Dreamgirls, The Best Little Whorehouse..., Xanadu, Hairspray. TOUR: 3 Mo’ Divas, Smokey Joe’s Café. DC AREA: Round House: Caroline, or Change; Shakespeare Theatre: The Amen Corner, Kiss Me, Kate; Ford's Theatre: Grace the Musical, Ragtime, Freedom’s Song; Olney Theatre: Godspell; Arena Stage: Newsies, Smokey Joe's Café; Kennedy Center: How To Succeed.... REGIONAL: ZACH Theatre: Into the Woods; The 5th: Man of La Mancha, A Night with Janis Joplin; Milwaukee Rep: Dreamgirls.

Gabrielle Rice

Doris Church Lady

she/her HOWARD UNIVERSITY: Coming HOME: A Musical Revue. EDUCATION: Signature’s Overtures Musical Theater Institute Class of 2022, Howard University: BFA in Musical Theatre, Class of 2024. Instagram: @thegabriellerice

Yvianick Saint-vil

Swing

she/her OTHER: Howard University: Coming HOME: A Musical Review. TV/FILM: Howard University School of Business Promotional Shoot. EDUCATION: Howard University: BFA in Musical Theatre 2024; Overtures: Signature’s Musical Theatre Institute. Instagram: @Yvianick

Nia Savoy-Dock

Darlene Church Lady

she/her DC AREA: Theatre Alliance: Day of Absence (Mary); Constellation Theatre Company: Aida (Amneris u/s), Mysticism & Music; Toby’s Dinner Theatre: Grease (Marty), Mamma Mia! REGIONAL: Ocala Civic Theatre: Crowns (Yolanda); StageCenter: Ragtime (Sarah). AWARDS: 1st-American Pops NextGen: Finding the Voices of Tomorrow, The Great American Songbook Academy Inspiration Award. EDUCATION: Howard University: Bachelors of Fine Arts, Musical Theatre. UPCOMING: Ford’s Theatre: Shout, Sister, Shout! @nsavoydock

Tyrell Stanley

Tyrell Stanley

Swing

he/him SIGNATURE: The Color Purple. DC AREA: Olney Theatre Center: Kinky Boots (Swing); Keegan Theatre: Memphis (Ensemble, Bobby u/s); The Heritage Ensemble Theatre Company: Confessions of a Black Cowboy (Nat Love/Willie Kennard). REGIONAL: Baltimore Center Stage: Dreamgirls (C.C. White); ArtsCentric: The Wiz (Ensemble, Lion u/s, TinMan u/s), Aida (Ensemble), Snapshots (Ensemble), Memphis (Ensemble, Wailin’ Joe u/s); Cockpit in Court: Sister Act (TJ), Wedding Singer (Mookie), Gypsy (Yonkers); Phoenix Festival Theater: Legally Blonde (Grandmaster Chad). TV/FILM: HBO: We Own This City; Paramount+: Lioness. AWARDS: 2021 BroadwayWorld.com Baltimore Regional Award for Lighting Design of the Decade. EDUCATION: Virginia Union University. @stagerightt.

Stephawn P. Stephens

Stephawn P. Stephens

Ol' Mister/Preacher

SIGNATURE: Billy Elliot, Dreamgirls (Helen Hayes Award nomination, Outstanding Resident Musical), Grand Hotel. REGIONAL: Kennedy Center: Earthrise, Color me Dark, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; Alexander who is not, not, not going to move, Carmen Jones, Soul Possessed; Ford’s: 110 in the Shade; Metro Stage: Bessie’s Blues; Arena Stage: Smokey Joe’s Café, Crowns; Olney Theater Center: Little Shop of Horrors, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat; Round House Theatre: Once On This Island; African Continuum Theater Company: Amen Corner, Spunk; Anacostia Playhouse: A Snowy Nite at the Dew Drop Inn (Director); Karamu House Theater: The Black Nativity, The Swing Mikado, Runaways; The Cleveland Opera Company: Die Meistersinger, Die Fledermaus. EDUCATION: Karamu House Theater; Bowie State University: Musical Theater BS.

Danielle J. Summons

Shug Avery

she/her OFF-BROADWAY: Baby (Pam). NATIONAL TOUR: Les Misérables (Eponine/ Ensemble), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Janelle). REGIONAL: Geva Theatre: Sister Act (Deloris Van Cartier); Midtown Arts Center: Memphis (Felicia Farrell). TV/FILM: HBO: The Time Traveler’s Wife; NETFLIX: Rustin; BET: How to Tell You’re a Douchebag; YouTube: AfterHours. INSTAGRAM: @GimmeSumm.

Jalisa Williams

Jarene Church Lady

DC AREA: Artscentric: The Wiz (ensemble), Aida (Aida u/s, ensemble), Chicago (Hunyak, ensemble). TV/FILM: BET+: Holiday Heartbreak, Netflix-BET+: Love Dot Com, Youtube: AARP 80’S Dance Commercial, MTV VMA’S: Rihanna performance (Dancehall Extra). EDUCATION: UMBC/VCU. UPCOMING: Ford’s Theatre: Shout Sister Shout. @Lissae88

Tobias A. Young

Tobias A. Young

Buster/Grady

he/him SIGNATURE: Disco Fever, Passing Strange, The Color Purple. OFF-BROADWAY: Fabulous! The Queen Of New Musical Comedies. DC AREA: Ford's Theatre: Ragtime (Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Ensemble), The Wiz; Olney Theatre Center: Guys & Dolls (Nicely Nicely), In The Heights (Piragua Guy, Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Musical); Adventure Theatre: James and The Giant Peach (Earthworm, Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Ensemble); Toby's Dinner Theatre: Dreamgirls, The Wiz (The Lion), In The Heights (Piragua Guy, Helen Hayes Award Nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor) Les Miserables, The Color Purple (Preacher/African Chief), Memphis (Bobby), Sister Act (Tj), Ain't Misbehavin (Fats Waller). PMA Agency. IG: @SimplyTobiasYoung, TikTok: @SimplyFoodByTy, YouTube: @TobiasYoung.

Creative Team

Mark G. Meadows

Mark G. Meadows

Music Directed by

he/him SIGNATURE: Director of Signature Cabarets; Music Direction: The Color Purple, RENT, After Midnight, Spunk, Ain’t Misbehavin’; Jelly’s Last Jam. Apollo Productions: ELLA, An American Miracle. Kennedy Center: Acoustic Rooster REGIONAL: Oregon Shakespeare Theatre: Once on this Island. Denver Center for the Performing Arts: Choir Boy, Wildfire. LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE: Associate Music Direction: The Outsiders.  ALBUMS: Be the Change, To the People, Somethin’ Good, A Child is Born. CONCERTS: Jazz at the Lincoln Center, DC Jazz Festival, Blues Alley, The Kennedy Center, Smalls Jazz, The Strathmore. INTERNATIONAL: Haiti, Russia, The Congo, Qatar, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Canada, The Caribbean. APPEARED WITH: Cynthia Erivo, Usher, Bobby McFerrin, Kendrick Lamar, Kamasi Washington, Nicholas Payton, Kurt Elling, Ledisi. AWARDS: 2020 DC Wammies Jazz Artist of the Year, Washington City Paper’s Artist & Composer of the Year. TEACHING: American University, Shenandoah University: Jazz Instructor; Duke Ellington School of the Arts: The Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University. MarkGMeadows.com @MarkGMeadows

Ezinne Elele

Assistant Director

she/her DC AREA: Theater Alliance: Poetry for the People: The June Jordan Experience, This Girl Laughs This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing, (Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Ensemble), A Chorus Within Her, Day of Absence; 1st Stage: Quilters, Under the Sea with Dredgie Mcgee. REGIONAL: Creede Repertory Theatre: Seeds of Change YA Tour. AWARDS: Helen Hayes Best Ensemble. EDUCATION: Howard University: Musical Theater BFA. UPCOMING: Imagination Stage: The New Kid.

Inside Signature with Danielle J. Summons

Danielle J. Summons, who plays sultry chanteuse Shug Avery in The Color Purple sits down with Education Director David Zobell for a conversation about her career, growing up in Raleigh and her important arts advocacy work.

Food and Drink Specials

Head to Ali’s Bar in the Mead Lobby on the 2nd floor to enjoy our specialty items inspired by The Color Purple:
Baked Mac: housemade baked mac with monterey jack and cheddar cheeses, topped with crumbly, crunchy crumbs and served with a side salad with either our housemade poppy seed dressing or our orange soy viniagrette.
Georgia Peach Spritz: Peach schnapps and St.-Germain come together with bubbly brut to make a cool and refreshing taste of summer peaches.

Signature Theatre

4200 Campbell Ave Arlington, Virginia

Press Reviews

This production is unmissable

BroadwayWorld

Nova Y. Payton is radiant

The Washington Post

A heartfelt hit

DC Theater Arts

A pitch-perfect production of a beloved musical

MD Theatre Guide

Stupendous!

The Washington Informer

There was pure joy in the room

DCist

Highly recommended!

The Zebra Press